Out of hospital

As you can gather, we're back home; Dotter was released around 7.30pm on Friday. It's taken us a few days to recuperate (and to get the house back in order)!

Her lipase levels are nearly normal again. Here she is knitting during the SEVEN HOUR stay in Casualty, before getting a bed in the blessedly quiet Adolescents Ward. I think the Paediatrics section of Casualty must be the worst - we were surrounded by very ill or injured babies and children, most of them crying and/or screaming. We really were starting to Not Cope after 5 hours of it, and we still had 2 more hours to get through ... very distressing.

Generally people with acute pancreatitis (and NOW I can easily add a link) have lipase readings of about 300-400 (normal is less than 20). Lipase is a digestive enzyme that should stay in your digestive system, and NOT be in your blood or abdominal cavity where it starts digesting your organs. She's such a high achiever - Dotter's reading was 1,805! 0_o Thankfully she responded well and quickly to the standard NBM treatment (Nil By Mouth).

The severe pain was a single 5 minute episode on Monday night (the day before she went to hospital), so she wasn't in any pain while in hospital (apart from all the needles and IVs they were sticking in her).

My old Voodoo Wristwarmers were great for keeping her hands warm, especially as the IV was making her hand cold and sore. I gave them to the lovely girl in the other bed when we left, to pass on some warm knitted love, which she needed. She and Dotter are going to stay in touch.

As you know, Lulu came for a visit one night. Dotter was happy to see her, especially as she has a new companion - young Prune the SHEEP DOG! Lulu wasn't sure what to make of him! I suspect she's going to find it harder to get into trouble at home now...

Here is evidence of the infamous Pole Dancing Incident - it's lucky the nurses didn't catch her, she would have been out on her woolly little ear!

While all this was going on, and for the endless hours where we were just waiting for things to happen, or a Doctor to see us, or whatever, I kept knitting on this Elisa's Nest Tote bag. It's nearly done. I decided to use 2 balls of Cleckheaton Bamboo - a bit extravagant, I know, but they were in my stash, and it's wonderful stuff to knit with.

That's all for now! Thanks again everyone for all your lovely messages and love - Dotter and I really appreciated getting your messages there in hospital.

ETA : I have been remiss in forgetting to say a huge thank you to Kuka for visiting us, and bringing an orchid for Dotter, and magazines, and yarny goodness to pat, and DVDs to borrow (oooh Fisher!) - her good cheer was infectious (which is a GOOD thing in hospital :)